Reeve Lindbergh (Author), Kathryn Brown (Illustrator)
A child’s love for a grandmother with memory loss shines through in this deeply personal and lyrical tale from author Reeve Lindbergh.
Sometimes Tom’s grandmother forgets the way home from the market, or that Tom’s name is Tom and not Roy. But Tom doesn’t mind. He loves to help his grandmother and just spend time with her. The special bond between a beloved grandmother affected by memory loss and her devoted grandson is described in Reeve Lindbergh’s most personal book for children, one that is based on her own and her son’s relationship with her mother in the last years of her life. Kathryn Brown’s watercolor illustrations tenderly capture the unique characters — and the love that is universal.
From School Library Journal
PreS–Tom's grandmother has begun to forget some pretty important things, such as whether the stove is turned off and how to get home from the grocery store. The boy and his family don't outwardly find these changes to be sad or scary; they're sometimes funny, but mostly they are just what life is like with Grandma. Tom is pleased that he can help his little grandmother by accompanying her to the store or finding her lost cat. Both Tom and Grandma are delighted that they live together now so they can have tea parties and sit together on the porch swing. Lindbergh's rhyming text doesn't poke fun or take itself too seriously, and Brown's lively pen-and-watercolor illustrations of a lovely, carefree woman and her freckled little grandson align perfectly with the book's message: that sometimes Grandma needs extra help, and Tom's the (five-year-old) man for the job. This charming tale will enchant all children, not just those with grandparents in similar situations.–Daisy Porter, San Jose Public Library, CA
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From BooklistIn naturally flowing, rhyming verses, a little boy introduces his grandmother and her peculiarities. She loses everything from her glasses to her shoes to her cat (though children will enjoy spotting the lost things in the illustrations). Once she went to the store and forgot the way home. Her grandson discusses the situation in a matter-of-fact, childlike way. After Grandmother makes him tea with cinnamon toast, he checks the stove. When she repeats the question, "Is it time for my bus?" he answers, "I'm here now. It's just time for us." Brown's ink drawings, washed in watercolors are well matched with the simple, graceful text. Together, they depict a bond between grandmother and grandson that is evident but not overly sweet. Many parents will be glad to find such a reassuring picture book that realistically acknowledges children's experiences with memory disorders in the elderly and encourages a loving response. Pair with the similarly named Little Mama Forgets (2006) by Robin Cruise. Carolyn Phelan
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My Little Grandmother Often Forgets by Reeve Lindbergh
Reeve Lindbergh, the daughter of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, has written many children’s books, including My Hippie Grandmother, On Morning Wings, and Nobody Owns the Sky, as well as several memoirs for adults. She lives in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Kathryn Brown has illustrated numerous books for children, including Tough Boris by Mem Fox. She lives in Massachusetts, USA.